'The Wishing Well'
"Whilst rites of healing and divination appear to have been the most widely employed forms of popular well magic, the act of wishing has today surpassed all other magical uses for wells. The magical wishing well has become archetypal, and is perhaps the reason why so many wells, real or artificial, and ornamental fountains and pools attract habitual and instinctual offerings of coin. Wishing; essentially a simple and general form of spell casting, is however an old and traditional aspect of well magic, with a varied set of rituals.
As with other matters of well magic, the offering of pins was required by the spirits of some wells in order for the spell of wishing to have efficacy.
That the agency of spirits was believed to be central to such procedures is confirmed in the wishing wells named after the faery folk. The beautiful little Fairy Well, situated high within a cliff overlooking Cornwall's Carbis Bay is regarded still as a potent wishing well. Here the wish must be spoken aloud to the spirits and accompanied by the offering of a crooked pin. Another Cornish wishing well in a rather extraordinary setting is the Giant's Well on St Michael's Mount where pins were offered as wishers were made.
Not far from St Austell the spirits of Menacuddle Well, inhabiting an enchanting moss-covered well house, would grant wishing in exchange for a crooked pin. Here, the well pilgrim might see the well's previously-offered pins arise to greet the newly offered pin on its descent.
The practice was not of course isolated to Cornwall and appears to have been particularly common at wells throughout the North of England. At the North Yorkshire well of St John, Mount Grace Priory, those seeking to make a wish must float a pin upon the water by sticking it first through an ivy leaf."
Other offerings to please were made during acts of wishing, however, at St Faith's Well, Hertford in the 17th century, such rites were overseen by a priest who it was believed possessed the power, via the well, to either grant or deny wishes. If the priest was pleased with the offering, the object placed in the well would float and the wish would be granted. If dissatisfied however, he would cause the object to sink thus denying the petitioner that which they wish for.
Pebbles would be offered in wishing rites at St Anne's Well, Trellech, Monmouthshire, which also had a divinatory element. Following the offering of a pebble, the spirit of the well would indicate the result via bubbles. Many bubbles indicated the wish had been granted, few bubbles meant that there would be a delay, but if no bubbles appeared, the petition had failed.
Offerings however were not required at all wells. In the Quantock Hills, one might conduct a simple wishing rite by visiting a spring under the cover of night. There one should whisper that which is desired three times before making a 'criss-cross' sign above the water. In performing this rite, the wish is always granted, but, we are warned, not always in a way the petitioner would like.
Drinking the water was a requisite feature of some wishing rites at wells. The rite to be performed at Upwey Well, Dorsetshire, requires drawing water with a glass, turning to standglass before throwing the rest back into the well over one's shoulder.
On the isle of Barra, fishermen wished for good herring catches by visiting St Clair's Well on Sundays to drink of its waters."
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Wisht Waters:
Aqueous Magica and the Cult of Holy Wells
1: 'The Magic of Springs and Holy Wells'
by Gemma Gary
